Breezy

Female Bobcat
4/14/96 – 5/8/2021

Breezy has a very lush enclosure with many hiding places to make her feel safe and comfortable. She comes out to enjoy enrichment items put in her cat-a-tat, or watches the ducks, peacocks, and swans as they wander by.  When she does, it is the perfect opportunity for everyone to get a good view of this beautiful bobcat.

Most of our bobcats were rescued from fur farms where they were being raised to slaughter for their fur. Some of them had been sold at auctions where the taxidermists would buy them just to club them to death in the parking lot. There were also a few of them that were born at Big Cat Rescue in the early days. This was a time when we were ignorant to the truth and only had guidance from the breeders and dealers. They had convinced us that these cats should be bred for “conservation” purposes. As soon as we learned that NO captive breeding programs that actually contribute to conservation in the wild, we began to spay and neuter our cats. Knowing what we do about the intelligence and magnificence of these creatures, we do not believe that any exotic cats should be bred for lives in cages.

Learn More About the History and Evolution of Big Cat Rescue at
http://bigcatrescue.org/about/our-evolution/

Breezy, who was first named Brenda, was one of a handful of bobcats that were born here at Big Cat Rescue. She was born to Windsong (her mother) and The Great Pretender (her father) on April 14th, 1996. She also had a sister, Cleo-Cat-Tra bobcat. During this period of time, we had a mentor that we relied heavily on when it came to us learning how to care for big cats.

Delores Newman had helped us raise Simba and Nyla the leopards and she had always had big cats, including several leopards and tigers in her own front yard on the eastern outskirts of Tampa, Florida. She loved big cats but had really wanted a small exotic cat that she could keep inside. She was given Windsong’s kitten and a warning that bobcats were very difficult to handle.

Delores named the kitten Brenda and introduced her to a house full of Chihuahuas with the thought that she could make a wonderful pet. This could not have been further from the truth. Over time, Brenda outgrew the dogs and hated them. She spent all of her time up on a high shelf just to get away from the dogs. It was clear that she would never be the “pet” that she was intended to be, so Delores brought her back to Big Cat Rescue.

Upon her return, she was given the name Breezy, in honor of the domestic cat who had raised Little Feather. Her name was befitting as her enclosure was naturally located on the lakeshore where she enjoyed the breezes that came across the lake. She was also renamed because our founder, Carole Baskin, absolutely detests giving these animals human names as they are far too magnificent for that.

Breezy has mellowed significantly with age and has even become far more tolerant of being assisted with grooming by way of the telescoping backscratcher. She has aged gracefully and now that she is up there in years, she is not able to climb her favorite trees to sleep in the branches any longer. The volunteers have made her posts with little platforms resembling limbs that are low enough for her to get on but safe for her to be on. She loves her enrichment and enjoys the scent of Obsession and has her own fresh mint planted along her enclosure, which happens to be one of her all-time favorites! She can be quite the lady but has also been known to be a little spitfire as well.

Medical Update 11/29/2017

Breezy was noted to be favoring one side of her mouth while chewing. Dr. Justin Boorstein sedated her and brought her in to have an exam and have her teeth looked at. As it turned out, she had some bad teeth that required removal.

Watch the Dental Procedure at https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/videos/10154950945756957/

UPDATE 12/9/2017

Breezy really hates being in the hospital where she is recovering from extensive dental work. Karma decided that she would try to groom Breezy to calm her and reassure her that not everything that goes on in the hospital is bad. She really seems to enjoy her session and it helps her as well with mats. She is an elderly bobcat and they are often arthritic and unable to reach to groom properly in some areas. She was also declawed which can also make grooming difficult.

Watch Karma Groom Breezy and Listen to the Update at
https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/videos/10154975138106957/

UPDATE 12/11/2017

Breezy is finally going back home to her enclosure following an extended stay in the cat hospital after a dental procedure. We wanted to make sure she would eat after her dental because she is an older bobcat. She has been really cranky these last few days because she was in the hospital, so we are hoping that by putting her back outside, she will be able to calm down and possibly even eat better in the comfort of her own home. She seemed pretty happy to be outside in the sunshine and cooler weather.

Watch as Breezy Goes Home https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/videos/10154979740291957/

Breezy Bobcat’s Photo Album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.2316158795306690&type=3

See more of Breezy by viewing the links listed below:

Breezy Watches as Gale Tries to Catch Apollo Lynx 5/19/2016
https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/videos/10153507007311957/

7/8/2016 – Moving Breezy from Funcation to Her New Home!
https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/videos/10153612218066957/

8/1/2016 -20-Year-Old Breezy Bobcat

Quick Check in with Breezy Bobcat and Others 9/21/2016
https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/videos/10153790991946957/

Evening Walkabout with Carole Baskin 1/2/2017
https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/videos/10154079814496957/

What Happens to the Cats at Big Cat Rescue When It Rains? 1/29/2017
https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/videos/10154152277066957/

Breezy Got Some Fresh Mint Leaves 5/19/2017
https://youtu.be/hcRMe_pD_iY

Come Along as Kitten Karma Grooms Breezy Bobcat 5/24/2018

Good Morning from Big Cat Rescue! Live Walkabout 8/15/2018
https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/videos/245778732722433/

What Happens When a Bobcat is Too Old to Groom Herself Anymore? 11/18/2018
https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/videos/1937522746549874/

Q&A with Brittany Mira 2/19/2019
https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/videos/375158203263374/

Q&A with Brittany Mira 3/14/2019
https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/videos/2100148376701344/

Q&A with Brittany Mira 3/20/2019
https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/videos/1943078162488638/

Q&A with Brittany Mira 4/11/2019
https://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue/videos/319132368800586/